HEB to Dallas: Sooner rather than later?

Looks like HEB’s plans for Dallas are starting to take shape. The San Antonio grocery store chain, whose parent company also owns Central Market, is actively working toward opening stores in Dallas. We’re the last major market in Texas where the chain doesn’t have any stores. I have had this confirmed by two people in the wine business who work with HEB, and two more people in the Texas grocery store business.

Last month, a story in the San Antonio Business Journal hinted that HEB was focusing on Dallas, but the company quickly backpedaled. But, from what I have been told, HEB is now looking for sites for stores (around seven acres), isn’t especially worried about taking business away from Central Market by putting an HEB nearby, and would actually prefer to open near a Walmart. One of the grocery retailers told me that the company is taking resources from other parts of the state for its expansion into Dallas.

Obviously, none of this is official until HEB says so. Still, given what I’ve been told by people who are in a position to know, HEB is much further along in its plans for Dallas than must of us realized.

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I love HEB, too, and I am always surprised at how many great HEB products you can find at the Central Market on Lovers. I buy HEB frozen berries for about 1.75 a bag and then buy whatever the beef and chicken specials are because I have to get my meat from a safe place like CM. It’s nice to be able to do both at CM and get my HEB fix in a way!!

Tom

There is a great practically brand new vacant former Winn-Dixie in Garland at the Southwest corner of Northwest Hwy. and Saturn Road that would be a great location. There is a brand new Wal-Mart super store in the same block. HEB ought to really investigate this site. It was build and almost immediately Winn-Dixie went out of business.

Brad

I wonder how this affects the LH Town Center trying to draw a grocery store anchor.

sauntering

HEB in Dallas would be AWESOME! Rumor has it… I spoke with the manager of another fantastic grocery store chain, Publix, recently in Florida. I was told that Publix is looking into the Dallas market. Publix would be a direct competitor to HEB. Publix grocery stores are more upscale like Central Market, but they offer everything needed from a grocery store at grocery store prices. Fingers crossed!

Kim

would love to see it at Mockingbird and Abrams.

txdancergal

I agree with last sentence in last comment. We need a Trader Joe’s in Dallas!

Paul

We used to live in San Antonio and greatly miss H-E-B for all the reasons stated in the preceding posts. … Is the the former Steakley Chevrolet site a possibility? Seems to meet the stated criteria for a good East Dallas location, as Sam’s, Walmart, and Penney are being opened nearby – although (and I realize that this may sound sacrilegious to some long-term Lakewood residents) I’d even more appreciate seeing another grocery store replace the Albertson’s at Mockingbird and Abrams. … In connection with high-quality low-priced grocery stores, we sure wish that Trader Joe’s would get to Dallas!

patrickinbigd

Hip Hip Hooray!

We’ve been waiting for a long time. Not sure what the wait is for, but it would be a guaranteed hit for those folks (like me) who used to live in an HEB market.

Come fast, I say!

Matt

Oh don’t tease me! As a transplant from San Antonio, the one weekly thing I have missed, is my visit to the HEB produce area. THe veggies were always fresh, fruit was just the right ripeness and always able to find something unique. I live in the East Dallas area that potentially could end up with an HEB. I can tell you we are way underserved for decent groceries.

Wow, this could be better than snow on Christmas!:)

mur

An HEB would be awesome! We vary between CM and Whole Foods (we live very close to the Lakewood WF) for most food purchases, and use the SuperTarget and sometimes the Thumb for household items. An HEB would give a great alternative and will likely be better priced too!

Jason

A HEB could make my head explode. We live very close to that area. Currently shop at Kroger for meats and proteins, Central Market for Produce and wine, Super Target for pantry, sodas, and everything else, and occasionally end up at the Tom Thumb when we need a single ingredient for something since it’s the technically the closest.

Rick Wamre

What do you think this means for the Chevrolet site at Abrams/Skillman and Northwest Highway ‘ coincidentally directly across the street from the new Wal-Mart/Sam’s development?